Improved washing-machine



UNITED STATES- ATnNr OFFICE.

IMPROVED WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 42,490. dated April 26, 1864.

oallwhom it may concern:V

Be itiknoen that I, Josnn Jonsson, of New York, in the 'county and State of New York. have'invented a certain new and Improved lashingMachine` and I do hereby declare that the following is a full `and exact description thereof. Y

The accompanying drawings forni a part of thisV specification. y

Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side view, of the machine complete. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line S S in Fig. l. j Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a portion, showing a modification of the mode of joiningcertain parts. Fig. 5 is a sideview, and Fig. 6 is an edge view, of the upper part of one of the uprights on which the vibrating frame is hung.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the drawings'.

To enable others skilled in thc art to make aid use my invention, Iwill proceed to de'- scribe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawings, and of the letters marked thereon.

A A2 are the two inclined sides of a vessel, which serves to contain the water and the clothing to be washed. It is supported on legs at a convenient elevation, and is provided with an orilice, stopped by a suitable plug, as represented, through which orifice the water may be conveniently withdrawn when required. On each of the ends, which are plane, are fixed two ri gid uprights, which form, in fact, eontinuations -of the ends A A. On these are mounted, by means of the pins B B, the Vibratin g frame C, adapted to be operated by thehands of the attendant applied at either side, as will be obvious. To this frame C are hinged, by means of the pins D D2, strong frames E E2, of the form and character represented. These frames are adapted to slide on the slightly elevated ways a a2, and alternately compress or pound the clothes in the angle at the bottom -of the tub or box, and each is constructed in the form of an open skeleton or series of properly-rounded teeth, with ample spaces between, in which the water may circulate freely. These teeth are severally indicated by the ligures 1 l, &c., on the frame E', and by the figures 2 2, &c., on the frame E2. These teeth are firmly connected together by a cross-board, which is properly Y grooved and prepared on its upper surface to serve as awash-board when required. These boards are indicated by e c2. rl`he teeth l l are secured to the board e bylinned screws or other suitable means, and, together with y the lon gerteeth at the ends, which are adapted..

system of marks is employed to designate the whole and the parts of the opposite frame, E2,

when required.

The operation of my machine is very simple, and very effective. The water, heated'` and properly saturated with soap or washin gvfluid, if desired, is poured into the tub, and

the clothes to be washed are immersed therein, in any quantity required. On Aseizing the frame C at either side and vibratingit'vigor- A ously, the teeth l l are simultaneously pressed j ,Y

upon the clothes on one side, then lifted, and

vthe teeth 2 2 are simultaneously brought in contact with the same mass, in a direction at right angles, or nearly so, to thatin which the force through l l was received. This operation may be repeated indefinitely. It', now, the operator depresses the teeth 2 with a little more force than the teeth l, the result will be a gradual turning or tumbling of the entire mass of clothes, the top of the mass being gradually transferred to the right, and ultimately carried underneath the mass, so that the whole will be subjected very uniformly to the squeezing and releasing action. The increased action of the teeth l l will, on the contrary, turn the mass in the opposite direction.

It will be seen that the open form and condition of my frames E Ez allows the water to circulate under very favorable circumstances, and goes far to reduce the tendency of the Water to slop or flow over the inclined sides. This tendency, if it be found still productive of annoyance, may be overcome by the introduction of small cleats or stops at the upper edges of the inclined sides, as indicated in red outline in Fig. 3. The frame G is so short that the wash boards e' e2 may be very conveniently used in the ordinary manner, to rub either the entire mass of clothing or any particular parts which may seem to require it. Either ot' these wash-boards may be used, as may be most convenient. When, for

example, the one which may have been the v favorite, has become, by wear or other cause,

less efficient, the other may be used. I propose to make these wash-boards ofdifferent material, or to cover them dilierently, or to make grooves of dit'terent forms or sizes, so as to afford avariety vof surface by the change from one to the other. As a means of cheaply and strongly confining the parts A A2 of my tub together, I can apply strlps .of iron or other suitable material across the joint at the bottom, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Similar strips maybe applied at the junctions between these inclined sides and the triangular ends of the tub.

Fig. 4L shows a mode of joining the parts which I have tried and found very desirable. It consists in letting one part into the other in the manner known as dadoing77 by some mechanics. It is very clearly represented in the figure, and this mode ofjoining may be applied, not only to the. joint between A' and A2` at the bottom, but also between the parts A or A2 and the triangular end pieces.

Fig. 5, as also the red outlines in Figs. 2 and 3, shows provisions for chan ging the elevation at which the vibrating frame C is hung. The pin B is inserted through the frame C and through the lowermost hole, G, when but a small quantity of clothes are to be operated on but when I wash a bed-quilt, or any large mass, I pull out the pin B, elevate the frame C, and introduce the pin B again through the uppermost hole, H. This being done at each side, the frame C and its connections may now be vibrated as before 5 but in consequence of the center or axis being higher, it is better adapted to operate on a large quantity of clothes.

I have represented the ways a a2 as equal in thickness; but this is not a necessary condition. If they are equal, as represented, and the lower ends of the teeth E are similar in form to the lower ends of the teeth E, and all the other conditions are equal, there will be no considerable tendency in the clothes to tumble or roll in either direction, unless a marked difference in the force of the blowsis made, as above described; but I can, by making strips or ways a2 considerably thicker than the corresponding strips or ways, a', and. consequently causing the teeth E2 to strike the mass of clothing at a higher point, while the teeth E operate as before, readily induce the'mass of clothing to tumble or roll continually, even when the machine isoperated in the most unskillful manner.` Thus, whether the blows are made uniform or irregular,

whether they are continued for a considerable period exactly equal in force on one side of the mass of clothing as on the other side, or considerably greater on one side than on the other, or are changed through all the possible what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows rlhe combination vof two pounders, E E2, and wash boards c e2, arranged to operate in combination with the vibrating frame G, and with a suitable tub or vessel, 'substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose herein set "l:

forth.

JOSEE JOHNSON;

Witnesses:

D. W. STE'rsoN, WM. MURRAY. 

